U.S. patent application number 15/966045 was filed with the patent office on 2018-08-30 for shaped charge system having multi-composition liner.
The applicant listed for this patent is Schlumberger Technology Corporation. Invention is credited to Lawrence A. Behrmann, James Guilkey, Wenbo Yang.
Application Number | 20180245437 15/966045 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 56693601 |
Filed Date | 2018-08-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180245437 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yang; Wenbo ; et
al. |
August 30, 2018 |
SHAPED CHARGE SYSTEM HAVING MULTI-COMPOSITION LINER
Abstract
A technique facilitates perforation, including the perforation
of a casing and formation. A shaped charge is formed with a case, a
liner, and a high explosive material located between the case and
the liner. The liner is formed of a powder material, e.g. a powder
metal material. The powder material properties of the liner between
an apex of the liner and a skirt of the liner may be selectively
varied to provide a desired jet velocity and jet mass of the liner
upon detonation of the high explosive material.
Inventors: |
Yang; Wenbo; (Sugar Land,
TX) ; Guilkey; James; (Salt Lake City, UT) ;
Behrmann; Lawrence A.; (Houston, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Schlumberger Technology Corporation |
Sugar Land |
TX |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
56693601 |
Appl. No.: |
15/966045 |
Filed: |
April 30, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
14628353 |
Feb 23, 2015 |
9976397 |
|
|
15966045 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 43/117 20130101;
F42B 1/032 20130101 |
International
Class: |
E21B 43/117 20060101
E21B043/117; F42B 1/032 20060101 F42B001/032 |
Claims
1. A system for forming a perforation in a subterranean formation,
comprising: a shaped charge having a case; a liner; and a high
explosive pellet positioned between the case and the liner, the
liner being formed of a blend of powder materials extending along
an interior of the case from an apex to a skirt, the blend of the
powder material being varied from the apex to the skirt of the
liner.
2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the powder material is
powder metal material and the liner is constructed of discrete
segments of powder metal material having different material
compositions moving from the apex to the skirt.
3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the powder material is
powder metal material and the liner is constructed of a
continuously variable blend of powder materials moving from the
apex to the skirt.
4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the powder material of
the liner has at least two different metal material compositions
moving from the apex to the skirt.
5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the powder material of
the liner has at least three different material compositions moving
from the apex to the skirt.
6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the powder material of
the liner has at least four different material compositions moving
from the apex to the skirt.
7. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a
perforating gun body, the shaped charge being mounted on the
perforating gun body.
8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein a powder of different
density relative to a mean density of the blend of powder materials
is added to change the density of the liner at a specific region or
regions of the liner.
Description
PRIORITY
[0001] This is a divisional application claiming priority to prior
U.S. application Ser. No. 14/628,353, filed Feb. 23, 2015.
BACKGROUND
[0002] After drilling and casing of an oil or gas well, the well is
opened to the surrounding formation for the ingress of oil or gas.
The well is opened by perforating the casing and the rock formation
beyond the casing using shaped charges. A shaped charge generally
comprises a high explosive material located between a case and a
liner. A portion of the liner forms a jet which is propelled away
from the case when the shaped charge is detonated. The jet is
propelled through the casing and into the formation to form a
perforation which facilitates the ingress of oil and/or gas.
SUMMARY
[0003] In general, a system and methodology are provided for
facilitating the perforation of a casing and formation. A shaped
charge is formed with a case, a liner, and a high explosive
material located between the case and the liner. The liner is
formed of a powder material, e.g. a powder metal material.
Parameters of the liner, between an apex of the liner and a skirt
of the liner, may be selectively varied to provide a desired jet
velocity and jet mass of the liner upon detonation of the high
explosive material.
[0004] However, many modifications are possible without materially
departing from the teachings of this disclosure. Accordingly, such
modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this
disclosure as defined in the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] Certain embodiments of the disclosure will hereafter be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like
reference numerals denote like elements. It should be understood,
however, that the accompanying figures illustrate the various
implementations described herein and are not meant to limit the
scope of various technologies described herein, and:
[0006] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an example of a
perforation system having a plurality of shaped charges deployed in
a wellbore, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an example of a shaped
charge, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
[0008] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of another example of a
shaped charge, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
and
[0009] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of another example of a
shaped charge, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] In the following description, numerous details are set forth
to provide an understanding of some embodiments of the present
disclosure. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary
skill in the art that the system and/or methodology may be
practiced without these details and that numerous variations or
modifications from the described embodiments may be possible.
[0011] The disclosure herein generally involves a system and
methodology which facilitate perforating, e.g. the perforation of a
casing and formation to enhance production from an oil and/or gas
well. The perforation may be performed by a perforating gun
assembly deployed down into a wellbore via a suitable conveyance.
The perforating gun assembly has a perforating gun body designed to
hold a plurality of shaped charges oriented outwardly to form
perforations into the surrounding formation upon detonation of the
shaped charges.
[0012] Each shaped charge may be formed with a case, a liner, and a
high explosive material located between the case and the liner. The
liner is formed of metal and/or non-metal powder material. Upon
detonation of the high explosive material, a portion of the liner
is propelled as a jet which penetrates through the casing and into
the surrounding formation. Characteristics of the jet, e.g. jet
velocity and jet mass, may be adjusted by varying one or more
characteristics, e.g. one or more compositional parameters, of the
liner between an apex of the liner and a skirt of the liner. For
example, the density of the powder used to form the liner may be
selectively varied between the apex and the skirt of the liner to
provide a desired jet velocity and jet mass of the liner upon
detonation of the high explosive material. However, additional or
other compositional parameters of the liner also may be varied to
achieve a desired perforation. Examples of these other
compositional parameters include powder particle diameter
distribution, hardness, ductility, porosity, and abrasiveness.
[0013] In an embodiment, the liner is formed from a powder material
having a composition which varies between an apex of the liner and
a skirt of the liner. Examples of the powder material include
various metal powder materials although other powder materials may
be used in the mixture. In some embodiments, ceramic powders or
other non-metal powdered materials may be added to vary the mix of
powder material between the apex and the skirt of the liner.
Depending on the specifics of the application and/or environment,
different powder metal mixes including metals alone or combined
metals and non-metals may be used between the liner apex and the
liner skirt.
[0014] The variable powder metal/powder material mixture along the
liner may be used to optimize the performance of oilfield
perforators. For example, variation in compositional parameters
along the liner may be used to achieve deeper penetration, larger
casing entrance hole diameter, increased casing hole diameter plus
deeper penetration, and other enhancements related to perforating
gun exit hole diameter as well as casing/formation penetration
characteristics. In some embodiments, the mix of the powder
material at the first portion or apex of the liner can be formed
with a different powder mixture, say mixture 1, compared to the mix
of powder material, say mixture 2, through the remainder of the
liner or vice versa.
[0015] Referring generally to FIG. 1, an example of a perforating
system 20 is illustrated as deployed in a wellbore 22 via a
conveyance 24. In this example, the wellbore 22 extends into a
subterranean formation 26 from a surface location 28 and is lined
with a casing 30. The perforating system 20 comprises a perforating
gun 32 having a perforating gun body 34. The perforating gun body
34 may have a variety of structures and may be constructed with
many types of components. A plurality of shaped charges 36 is
mounted to the perforating gun body 34, and each of the shaped
charges 36 is oriented outwardly from the gun body 34.
[0016] The shaped charges 36 are connected with a detonation system
38 having a detonation control 40 which provides signals to a
detonator or detonators 42 to initiate detonation of shaped charges
36. In many applications, the detonation system 38 may utilize a
detonator 42 in the form of detonation cord properly positioned to
initiate detonation of the shaped charges 36. When detonator 42
comprises detonation cord, the detonation cord is routed to the
shaped charges 36 and portions of the detonation cord are placed
into cooperation with explosive material located in the shaped
charges 36. In some applications, the shaped charges 36 are placed
in a staggered pattern along the perforating gun body 34 and linked
by the detonator/detonation cord 42 which is routed back and forth
between the staggered shaped charges 36. The detonation cord
enables a desired, controlled detonation of the plurality of shaped
charges. Upon detonation, the shaped charges 36 explode and create
a jet of material which is propelled outwardly to create
perforations 44 which extend through casing 30 and into the
surrounding subterranean formation 26. The number and arrangement
of shaped charges 36 can vary depending on the parameters of a
given perforation application. Additionally, the shaped charges 36
may be detonated in separate groups; or a plurality of perforating
guns 32 may be employed to perforate different zones of
subterranean formation 26.
[0017] Referring generally to FIG. 2, an example of one of the
shaped charges 36 is illustrated. In this embodiment, shaped charge
36 comprises a case 46, a liner 48, and a high explosive material
50, e.g. a high explosive pellet, positioned between the case 46
and the liner 48. The liner 48 extends generally between a first
portion or apex 52 and a second portion or skirt 54. By way of
example, the liner 48 may be cup-shaped with the apex 52 forming
the bottom of the cup and the skirt 54 forming the rim of the cup.
The liner 48 is formed with a powder material 56 having
characteristics which change between the apex 52 and the skirt 54.
In some applications, however, non-powdered material also may be
combined into the liner 48 to help provide the changing
characteristic or characteristics.
[0018] For example, the liner 48 may be constructed such that the
powder material 56 has differences in compositional parameters,
e.g. powder density or other material properties, moving from the
apex 52 to the skirt 54. The differences in material properties may
be selected to optimize or otherwise adjust the jet velocity and
jet mass of the liner 48 upon detonation of explosive material 50.
The changes in compositional parameters may be achieved by
utilizing a variety of powder material blends, e.g. mixtures,
between the apex 52 and the skirt 54. In some applications, the
powder material 56 may have a changing proportion of materials
along the axis of the liner 48 (i.e. varied between the apex 52 and
the skirt 54) to achieve a desired continuity of liner properties,
e.g. continuity of density or mass, with a corresponding, desired
jet velocity and jet mass. The changing characteristic, e.g.
changing material properties, along the liner 48 may be achieved by
a variety of powder material techniques. However, the liner 48 also
may be constructed via three-dimensional (3-D) printing techniques
which enable variation of material properties, e.g. variation of
material compositional parameters, at different regions throughout
the liner 48. For example, 3-D printing techniques may be used to
control and vary the porosity along liner 48 to obtain desired jet
properties.
[0019] By way of example, the powder material 56 used to form liner
48 may be a powder metal material. The powder metal material may be
formed from various mixtures of metal powders (or metal and
non-metal powders) depending on the perforating characteristics
desired for a given application. Examples of metal powders include
tungsten (W) powder, copper (Cu) powder, lead (Pb) powder, titanium
(Ti) powder, and other metal powders. The various metal powders may
be mixed in many different types of compositions and those
compositions may be varied between the apex 52 and the skirt 54 of
liner 48. The composition of the powder metal material 56 and the
differences in composition moving from the apex 52 to the skirt 54
is selected to achieve different perforating characteristics upon
detonation of the explosive material 50.
[0020] The powder material composition and the change in powder
material compositional parameters between the apex 52 and the skirt
54 may vary substantially depending on the overall design of the
shaped charge 36, casing 30, type of rock in formation 26, and
various other system and environmental parameters. Various mixtures
of powder materials having different powder material densities,
diameter distributions, hardness characteristics, ductility
characteristics, and/or abrasiveness characteristics may be used to
achieve the desired perforations. It also should be noted that the
powder material 56 may comprise non-metal powder components. For
example, ceramic powders or other non-metal powders may be used to
form portions of liner 48 or they may be mixed with the metal
powders to create desired material characteristics and changes in
those characteristics moving from the apex 52 to the skirt 54.
Different density powder materials such as tungsten powders and
ceramic powders may be used in differing concentrations along the
liner to create lower density and higher density portions of the
liner 48.
[0021] Referring generally to FIG. 3, another embodiment of shaped
charge 36 is illustrated. In this embodiment, the liner 48 is
constructed of powder material 56 having differing compositions
moving from the apex 52 to the skirt 54. The liner 48 is
constructed with a plurality of discrete segments 58 in which at
least some of the discrete segments 58 have different material
compositions relative to each other. The discrete segments 58 may
each be formed of different compositions of metal and non-metal
powders, as discussed above, to achieve desired perforating
characteristics. For example, segments 58 at or close to apex 52
may be formed from lower or higher density powder materials, (e.g.
powder materials having lower or higher concentrations of
low-density constituents such as tungsten powders or ceramic
powders) to achieve a desired jet velocity and jet mass upon
detonation of explosive material 50. Depending on the application,
the liner 48 may comprise two, three, four, or more different metal
and/or non-metal powder material mixtures moving from the apex 52
to the skirt 54. The content and arrangement of those segments 58
can be adjusted depending on the desired perforator performance in
any given target.
[0022] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the liner 48 has
been constructed with powder material 56 having a material
composition which varies continuously from the apex 52 to the skirt
54. The continuous variation of material composition may be based
on variation of any of a variety of parameters moving between apex
52 and skirt 54 of liner 48. For example, the density of the powder
material 56 forming liner 48 may be varied continuously in an axial
direction along the liner 48. In the example illustrated, the
density of liner 48 varies continuously from a low-density region
60 located at apex 52 to a higher density region 62 located at
skirt 54. The density of the powder material 56 and/or other
compositional parameters may be varied to different degrees and in
differing directions depending on the desired characteristics of
the jet created by liner 48 upon detonation of explosive material
50.
[0023] As discussed above, the powder material 56 may incorporate a
variety of powder materials, such as tungsten, copper, lead,
titanium, ceramic, and/or other types of powder materials.
Additionally, the powder material 56 may incorporate a binding
material formed as a coating or other type of layer on the powder
materials used to form the liner 48. The concentration and/or
mixture of components also may be varied between discrete segments
58 of the liner, continuously, or according to other patterns
between the apex 52 and the skirt 54 of the liner 48.
[0024] When liner 48 is constructed of distinct segments 58,
certain compositions of the segments can create sudden density/mass
changes which create discontinuities of the jet resulting from
detonation of explosive material 50. In some applications, the
discontinuities can be useful and in other applications the
discontinuities can be reduced or minimized by engaging adjacent
liner segments 58 gradually. For example, the plurality of segments
58 may be matched together gradually moving from the apex 52 to the
skirt 54. Depending on the application, various structural changes
may be made with respect to liner 48 to compensate for the varying
parameters of powder material 56 between the apex 52 and the skirt
54.
[0025] If, for example, the variable parameter is density, the
thickness of the liner 48 may be changed with the changing density.
In an embodiment, the lower density region of liner 48 is thinner
and the higher density region of liner 48 is thicker to maintain
jet continuity. In some applications, discontinuities in the formed
jet may be minimized by constructing liner 48 such that the liner
48 has continuity satisfying d(alpha)/dx and d(rho)/dx where alpha
is the liner half angle, rho is the liner density, and x is the
axial distance along the liner 48.
[0026] Liner 48 may be formed in many sizes and structures with
various patterns and mixtures of powder material compositions.
Additionally, the liner may be combined with many types of cases
and explosive materials to construct different types of shaped
charges and to achieve desired perforation characteristics. The
number and arrangement of shaped charges also may be selected
according to the parameters of the perforation application and the
structure of the perforating gun assembly. The detonation system
and the sequence of detonation also may vary from one application
to another.
[0027] The variation in the structure of the shaped charge liner
and/or in the composition of the shaped charge liner can be used to
facilitate perforating in many well related applications. The
shaped charges described herein may be used in wells drilled from
the Earth's surface and in subsea wells. However, the shaped
charges and the shaped charge liners also may be used in non-well
applications in which perforations are formed through and/or into a
variety of materials. The variable characteristics of the liner may
be used to achieve the desired jet for optimized perforation
performance in many types of applications.
[0028] Although a few embodiments of the disclosure have been
described in detail above, those of ordinary skill in the art will
readily appreciate that many modifications are possible without
materially departing from the teachings of this disclosure.
Accordingly, such modifications are intended to be included within
the scope of this disclosure as defined in the claims.
* * * * *